Written Answers Wednesday 11 January 2006

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist prostate cancer nurses there have been in each NHS board in each year since 1999 and whether it has any plans to increase the numbers of such nurses.

Mr Andy Kerr: Latest statistics as at 30 September 2004 suggest that NHSScotland does not employ specialist prostate cancer nurses. However, other clinical nurse specialists may provide a service in this area as part of their current role, e.g. urological nurse specialists and urology/oncology cancer nurse specialists.

  Staffing numbers across a range of professional groups will be forecast by NHS boards and regions as they develop and submit their workforce plans in 2006, taking into consideration a range of drivers affecting future demand such as Delivering for Health.

  Information on staff in post - including clinical nurse specialists - in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

Carers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instigate an income maximisation campaign for carers to increase benefit uptake and, if so, what steps it will take to introduce such a campaign.

Lewis Macdonald: The UK Government, through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is responsible for social security benefits and for campaigns to maximise their uptake. The Care 21 Report The future of unpaid care in Scotland calls, amongst other things, for a review of the benefit entitlements available to carers, and I have made DWP Ministers aware of this.

  Under our Carers’ Strategy we are working with stakeholders to improve carer access to information and advice on sources of support, including financial assistance. An important strand here is the duties placed on local authorities and NHSScotland by the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002. The Care 21 report recognises that many of the necessary policy mechanisms are already in place, but that systematic implementation needs to happen Scotland-wide. We will be considering these matters further in our response to the report.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was in each local authority area on 30 November 2005 for the installation of central heating under the central heating programme.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The information requested is not held by local authority area. Information on average waiting times is collated and presented as a national average. The average waiting time, which covers the whole of Scotland, is five months.

Centre for Confidence and Well-Being

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the effectiveness of the work of the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being.

Lewis Macdonald: The Centre for Confidence and Well-Being is an independent not for profit organisation which aims to improve confidence and well-being in the general population in Scotland.

  In 2005-06 the Scottish Executive provided funding to the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being: £60,000 to support the delivery of action research training on confidence-focused interventions, and £52,000 to support the delivery of at least 10 one-day targeted networking events for key public sector workers. In addition to this, £30,000 has been offered to the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being to support its involvement in the Schools of Ambition project with school pupils. As with all projects that the Scottish Executive funds, delivery and effectiveness of the projects are monitored through the submission of six monthly progress reports.

Crime

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a knife have been considered by summary trial in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in March 2006.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Summary Courts for Handling an Offensive Weapon1, by Sheriffdom, 20032

  

Sheriffdom
Possession of an Offensive Weapon3
Having in a Public Place an Article with a Blade or Point


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
674
567


Grampian, Highland and Islands
103
95


Lothian and Borders 
137
177


North Strathclyde 
260
315


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
346
233


Tayside, Central and Fife 
216
130


Scotland
1,736
1,517



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

  3. Knives cannot be identified separately from other types of offensive weapon in the data held for this crime category.

Crime

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of possession of a knife have been considered by trial on indictment in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in March 2006.

  Persons Proceeded Against on Indictment in Scottish Courts for Handling an Offensive Weapon1, by Sheriffdom, 20032

  

Sheriffdom
Possession of an Offensive Weapon4
Having in a Public Place an Article with a Blade or Point


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
10
9


Grampian, Highland and Islands
2
-


Lothian and Borders 
-
2


North Strathclyde 
3
7


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
4
1


Tayside, Central and Fife 
5
1


Scotland3
25
21



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

  3. Includes High Court.

  4. Knives cannot be identified separately from other types of offensive weapon in the data held for this crime category.

Crime

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for possession of a knife in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by sheriffdom.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table. Figures for 2004-05 are planned for publication in March 2006.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Handling an Offensive Weapon1, by Sheriffdom, 20032

  

Sheriffdom
Possession of an Offensive Weapon4
Having in a Public Place an Article with a Blade or Point


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
608
520


Grampian, Highland and Islands
79
85


Lothian and Borders 
103
151


North Strathclyde 
216
287


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
272
193


Tayside, Central and Fife 
169
113


Scotland3
1,448
1,349



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

  3. Includes High Court.

  4. Knives cannot be identified separately from other types of offensive weapon in the data held for this crime category.

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is helping local authorities to implement the recommendations of Better Behaviour - Better Learning .

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has taken a number of steps to help local authorities to implement the recommendations of Better Behaviour - Better Learning including the following:

  The Scottish Executive has provided education authorities with funding, including £10 million a year for implementation of Better Behaviour - Better Learning and an additional £34.9 million funding package over three years for additional support staff to support schools to tackle indiscipline.

  Several methods of sharing information on good practice in promoting positive behaviour have been established, including a website, a range of local events and national conferences, and publications.

  A number of working groups have been formed including a discipline stakeholder group, to inform the Scottish Executive on issues concerning behaviour in schools.

  A regional communication team will provide information, consultancy and support to education authorities and schools across Scotland.

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the results of the three pilot projects in Fife, Highland and North Lanarkshire schools on restorative practices following pupil exclusion will be disseminated.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive will use a range of methods to disseminate the findings of the pilot projects on restorative practices as follows:

  A section of the website www.betterbehaviourscotland.gov.uk is dedicated to restorative practices.

  A regional communication team has been established, which will provide information, training and support to education authorities and schools wishing to develop restorative practices, and sharing the experience and findings of the pilot schools.

  Publications developed by the Scottish Executive for the education community will continue to share the findings, such as the teacher magazine Better Behaviour.

  Media coverage featuring the work of the pilots will continue, for example through The Times Educational Supplement and mainstream newspapers.

  A regular national conference on restorative practices in education will raise awareness of the work of the pilots and of developments in the UK and internationally. The first conference took place in September 2005.

Education

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of absence from school were attributable to dental-related conditions in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not collect data on the time taken by pupils to attend dental appointments, and data on length of sickness absence from school is not broken down by categories such as dental-related conditions.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to run the conference on NHS Scotland and the independent health care sector, held on Monday 3 October 2005 at the Beardmore Hotel.

Mr Andy Kerr: The cost of running the conference was as follows:

  

NHS Internal Costs
£5,826.20


External Costs
£6,109.30

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a report of the discussions, outcomes and action points of the conference on NHS Scotland and the independent health care sector, held on Monday 3 October 2005 at the Beardmore Hotel.

Mr Andy Kerr: As I indicated in the answer to question S2W-21026 on 8 December 2005, there were no reports, outcomes or action points made of the discussions at the conference. The day aimed to strengthen communications and relationships across public and independent sector boundaries and to create a platform for opportunities for innovative solutions for the future.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what follow-up conferences, meetings, discussions, communications and actions have taken place and/or been arranged as a consequence of the conference on NHS Scotland and the independent health care sector, held on Monday 3 October 2005 at the Beardmore Hotel.

Mr Andy Kerr: The conference provided information and networking opportunities to NHS and independent sector colleagues, and as such there were no outcomes or actions taken from it. The Executive has not held or arranged any meetings or discussions as a consequence of the conference.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take advice from bodies and individuals, such as trade unions and academics, in respect of the matters discussed at the conference on NHS Scotland and the independent health care sector, held on Monday 3 October 2005 at the Beardmore Hotel.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive always welcomes constructive advice and is in regular contact with partnership representatives whose input is valued. The Director of the National Waiting Times Unit met with representatives of the Human Resources Forum on 14 October 2005 to discuss relationships between the independent health care sector and NHSScotland.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21279 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 December 2005, whether it considers that living near a motorway adversely affects the pulmonary function and respiratory health of children to a greater extent that living near an ordinary road.

Mr Andy Kerr: The influence of motor transport on air quality in any particular place depends on local circumstances and it is not possible to generalise concerning the relative contribution of different types of roads. Each local authority in Scotland is required to review and assess air quality in its area based on monitoring and modelling. Through this process, it is possible to identify where local circumstances, traffic related or otherwise, contribute to an air quality problem and act to address these.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21279 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 December 2005, what the certain circumstances are in which a number of traffic-derived air pollutants have the potential to adversely affect human respiratory health.

Mr Andy Kerr: Local authorities review and assess air quality in their area against objectives for a number of pollutants contained in the Air Quality Strategy. Where this shows the objectives are being exceeded, or are likely to be exceeded, the local authority has to declare an Air Quality Management Area and establish an action plan to deal with the problem. The circumstances leading to a need to declare vary, but experience to date has shown that traffic emissions are the main source of local air quality hotspots.

NHS Finance

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital provision for equipment was (a) allocated and (b) spent in each NHS board area in each year from 2000-01 to 2004-05 inclusive, expressed in real terms.

Mr Andy Kerr: Specific capital allocations for medical equipment were not given for the years requested. Prior to 2002, NHS trusts had to bid for capital funding which was held centrally. 2002-03 saw a major change in the methodology for allocating the Health Department’s capital budget with the majority of the available budget allocated on the basis of the Arbuthnott formula adjusted for cross boundary patient flows and weighted for the provision of regional specialities. This means that NHS boards can prioritise their investment requirements within defined resources, including those on equipment, based on their local knowledge or the local needs of the local area how this money should be spent.

  Following the publication of the Audit Scotland report Better Equipped to Care? – Follow Up Report on 26 February 2004 the Executive announced an additional £125 million over three years to support investment in new and replacement medical equipment.

  Specific data on medical equipment expenditure is not collected separately but is included within the general equipment categories as per NHSScotland Accounting Manual guidance. For expenditure on capital equipment (in real terms), for the years stated I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16390 on 26 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20282 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, when it expects to be able to make an announcement in respect of its considerations of the recommendations of the IQN Working Group.

Mr Andy Kerr: The recommendations of the Internationally Qualified Nurse (IQN) Working Group will be put to me for approval within the next few weeks and an announcement will be made later this month. The recommendations will outline a national model and infrastructure to support the Overseas Nurses Programme and enable locally domiciled IQNs to be matched to vacancy posts.

NHS Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20282 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 November 2005, which particular higher education institutions have responsibility for delivering the Overseas Nurses Programme.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Education Scotland (NES) will be responsible for acting as agents for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and for the scrutiny, approval and on-going monitoring of the Overseas Nurses Programme. Currently the University of Stirling and the University of Paisley have been approved to run the Overseas Nurses Programme and other higher education institutions (HEI) awaiting approval are Glasgow Caledonian University and NHS Lothian, who have yet to agree their HEI partner.

Telecommunications

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phone masts is not harmful to the general public.

Lewis Macdonald: Authoritative surveys of the levels of public exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone masts throughout the UK continue to show consistently that exposures are a small fraction of current guideline levels. There is no compelling evidence to suggest that exposures below current guidelines are harmful to the health of the general public.